PawSox Strand 14 in Loss to Louisville at McCoy

PawSox news release…

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A bevy of baserunners and a late surge weren’t enough for the Pawtucket Red Sox, who lost the series opener to the Louisville Bats, 7-4, on a beautiful Tuesday night at McCoy Stadium.

The PawSox (16-24), who have now lost 11 of their last 12 games, left 14 runners on base. Pawtucket pulled within two in the bottom of the eighth inning and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth before succumbing to the Bats (16-28) to begin the three-game set.  

The PawSox stranded 11 of those runners aboard, including six in scoring position, through the first five innings. In addition to being hit by two pitches and reaching on a pair of errors, Pawtucket hitters coaxed seven walks.

PawSox first baseman Allen Craig (2-for-3, 2 RBI) powered the offense, notching his first RBI since April 12 and his first multi-hit game of the month. Designated hitter Steve Selsky and catcher Dan Butler each went 2-for-5.

Pawtucket starter Shawn Haviland (L, 2-4) ceded four runs in 5.2 innings, allowing six hits and walking two to go along with three strikeouts. The right-hander has now turned in at least 5.2 innings in each of his eight outings this season.

PawSox lefty reliever Edgar Olmos surrendered a pair of runs in 1.2 innings with three strikeouts, while righty Jamie Callahan piled up four punchouts of his own. Between the PawSox and Double-A Portland, Callahan has now fanned 25 in 17 innings.

Louisville starter Cody Reed, the Reds’ No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and five walks over four protracted innings. With two shutout stanzas, reliever Barrett Astin (W, 1-2) collected the win, and Kevin Shackelford (S, 5) secured the four-out save.

Louisville climbed out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when No. 3 hitter Jesse Winker (4-for-5, 4 R, 2 RBI) blasted a two-run shot to right.

The PawSox loaded the bases in the second, and second baseman Mike Miller rolled an RBI groundout to third to plate right fielder Brian Bogusevic, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Two batters later, Jantzen Witte ripped an RBI single into left field to tie the game.

The Bats reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right field from third baseman Brandon Dixon.

Louisville doubled its lead to 4-2 in the sixth when first baseman Sebastian Elizalde tagged an RBI single to right-center to score designated hitter Peter O’Brien.

After Winker led off the seventh with an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error, Dixon reeled him in with an RBI single through the left side, stretching the margin to 5-2. Two batters later, shortstop Zach Vincej blooped an RBI single into shallow right, making it 6-2.

The PawSox sliced the gap in half, 6-4, in the eighth when Craig, who entered the game in the second after Rusney Castillo was hit by a pitch on the lower right leg, stung a two-run double off the right-center wall.

Louisville grabbed a run back in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from Elizalde.

The PawSox continue their three-game series against Louisville on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. at McCoy Stadium. Rehabbing Red Sox left-hander David Price (left elbow strain) is scheduled to start opposite Bats right-hander Vin Mazzaro.